I found a 1940s treasure trove under the floorboards of my new flat
TL;DR
Kirsty Geddes discovered a 1940s treasure trove while renovating her flat in Dumfries, including a 1942 fire extinguisher and D-Day newspapers. She plans to use these finds to explore the building's history.
Key points
- Kirsty Geddes bought a flat in Dumfries
- She found a 1940s treasure trove under the floorboards
- Artifacts include a 1942 fire extinguisher and D-Day newspapers
- Kirsty plans to explore the building's history using these finds
- Other items include an empty stout bottle
Mentioned in this story
Since Kirsty Geddes bought her flat in Dumfries last August, she has been busy renovating her new home.
With the help of her local joiner, Jordan Walters, she has gutted the top floor apartment in Great King Street - and uncovered a 1940s treasure trove under the floorboards.
Among their finds is a fire extinguisher dating from 1942, newspapers from the week after D-Day, and a tin of "whole chicken in jelly" - fortunately empty.
Now Kirsty, a marketing and communications manager, hopes to use her discoveries to build a picture of the history of the building.
Other artefacts include an empty bottle of Armstrong and Dickie stout, likely produced at the former aerated waterworks site at the nearby Whitesands.
Rodent repellent, cigarette packets, and piles of very old newspapers are also among their finds.
A copy of the Daily Mail dated 12 June 1944 - days after D-Day - reports that "battle rages around empty Caen" and "trap closing on Nazis".
From the Sunday Mail,1 October 1944, the headline reads: "Allies are poised for Autumn assault on Germany".
Meanwhile, copies of the Dumfries and Galloway Standard from 16 December 1944 focus on Christmas advertisements and social events.
A number of cigarette packs and games cards, household cleaners and an insect repellent, called 'flit powder', have also been found.
Geddes, who is a a designer by trade, said the variety of typography and design was fascinating.
''It's really exciting to know that there is a lot of history within the building," she said.
''The fire extinguisher was one of the first things that I found within the property and I was quite cautious when I saw it because it looks so far removed from a usual fire extinguisher.
''It's really beautiful to see the iteration of where fire extinguishers came from and where they are now."
The 37-year-old also found the remnants of two envelopes and would like to establish who they were addressed to.
''I think they were actually destined for the recycling centre but I managed to pull them out before they got there," she said. "And there's the address of the property on there and there's a name.
''We think it's Mrs Latimer, but we're not 100% sure. There's also a magazine with the name 'Jone' on it, which could potentially be another clue,'' she said.
Kirsty is now planning to study the original, hand-drawn, title deeds for the building with the hope of matching up the name from the envelopes with a previous owner.
''If anybody has any information on who used to live here or what the building was used for, I'd love to hear from them,'' she said.
Q&A
What did Kirsty Geddes find under the floorboards of her flat?
Kirsty Geddes found a 1942 fire extinguisher, D-Day newspapers, and an empty tin of chicken in jelly among other artifacts.
Where is the flat located where the treasure trove was discovered?
The flat is located in Dumfries, specifically on Great King Street.
What is the significance of the artifacts found in the flat?
The artifacts, including newspapers from the week after D-Day, provide insight into the history of the building and the era.
